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Some Examples of Writing Assignments in Psychology Courses
Ludy T. Benjamin, Jr.
Abramson, C. I., & Hershey, D. A. (1999). The use of correspondence in the classroom.
In Benjamin, et al (pp. 33-36). (See Bryant & Benjamin below).
Allen, G. J. (1984). Using a personalized system of instruction to improve the writing
skills of undergraduates. Teaching of Psychology, 11, 95-98.
Anderson, W. P. (1982). The use of journals in a human sexuality course. Teaching of
Psychology, 9, 105-107.
Baird, B. N. (1991). In-class poster sessions. Teaching of Psychology, 18, 27-29.
Beers, S. E. (1985). Use of a portfolio writing assignment in a course on developmental
psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 12, 94-96.
Beers, S. E. (1986). Questioning and peer collaboration as techniques for thinking and
writing about personality. Teaching of Psychology, 13, 75-77.
Benjamin, L. T. (1990). Involving students and faculty in preparing a departmental
history. Teaching of Psychology, 17, 97-100.
Bennett, S. M. (1985). Coordinated teaching of psychology and composition: A valuable
strategy for students and instructors. Teaching of Psychology, 12, 26-27.
Boice, R. (1982). Teaching of writing in psychology: A review of sources. Teaching of
Psychology, 9, 143-147.
Bowman, R. F. (1983). The personal student journal: Mirror of the mind.
Contemporary Education, 55, 25-27.
Bryant, W. H. M., & Benjamin, L. T., Jr. (1999). Read all about it! Wundt opens
psychology lab: A newspaper assignment for history of psychology. In L. T. Benjamin, Jr., et al
(Eds.), Activities handbook for the teaching of psychology, Volume 4, pp. 47-49.
Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Butler, A., Phillmann, K-B., & Smart, L. (2001). Active learning within a lecture:
Assessing the impact of short, in-class writing exercises. Teaching of Psychology, 28, 257-259.
Calhoun, L. G., & Selby, J. W. (1979). Writing in psychology: A separate course?
Teaching of Psychology, 6, 232.
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Camplese, D. A., & Mayo, J. A. (1982). How to improve the quality of student writing:
The colleague swap. Teaching of Psychology, 9, 122-123.
Chrisler, J. C. (1990). Novels as case study materials for psychology students.
Teaching of Psychology, 17, 55-57.
Chrisler, J. C. (1992). Exploring mental illness through a poetry-writing assignment.
Teaching of Psychology, 19, 173-174.
Cronan-Hillix, W. A., Cronan-Hillix, T. A., & Speth, T. W. (1990). What would you tell
professor Wundt? Teaching of Psychology, 17, 94-97.
Dunn, D. S. (1992). Perspectives on human aggression: Writing to Einstein and Freud
on "Why War?" Teaching of Psychology, 19, 112-114.
Dunn, D. S. (2000). Letter exchanges on statistics and research methods: Writing,
responding, and learning. Teaching of Psychology, 27, 128-130.
Friedrich, J. (1990). Learning to view psychology as a science: Self-persuasion through
writing. Teaching of Psychology, 17, 23, 27.
Gareis, K. C. (1995). Critiquing articles cited in the introductory textbook: A writing
assignment. Teaching of Psychology, 22, 233-235.
Goddard, P. (2002). Promoting writing among psychology students and faculty: An
interview with Dana S. Dunn. Teaching of Psychology, 29, 331-336.
Goddard, P. (2003). Implementing and evaluating a writing course for psychology
majors. Teaching of Psychology, 30, 25-29.
Hemenover, S. H., Caster, J. B., & Mizumoto, A. (1999). Combining the use of
progressive writing techniques and popular movies in introductory psychology. Teaching of
Psychology, 26, 196-198.
Henderson, B. B. (2000). The reader’s guide as an integrative writing experience.
Teaching of Psychology, 27, 130-132.
Hettich, P. (1976). The journal: An autobiographical approach to learning. Teaching of
Psychology, 3, 60-63. (See also, ToP, 1980, 7, 105-106)
Johnson, D. M. (1975). Increasing originality on essay examinations in psychology.
Teaching of Psychology, 2, 99-102.
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Junn, E. N. (1989). “Dear Mom and Dad”: Using personal letters to enhance students’
understanding of developmental issues. Teaching of Psychology, 16, 135-139.
Kahn, A. S., & Davis, S. L. (2003). A book of our own: The personal essay in
psychology of women classes. Teaching of Psychology, 30, 71-72.
Keith, K. D. (1999). Letters home: Writing for understanding in introductory
psychology. (pp. 30-32). In Benjamin, et al (see Bryant & Benjamin above).
Klos, D. S. (1976). Students as case writers. Teaching of Psychology, 3, 63-66.
Klugh, H. E. (1983). Writing and speaking skills can be taught in psychology classes.
Teaching of Psychology, 10, 170-171.
Lammers, W. J. (1999). Reading, writing, and thinking before each class. In Benjamin,
et al pp. 28-29. (See Bryant & Benjamin above).
Levine, J. R. (1990). Using a peer tutor to improve writing in a psychology class: One
instructor’s experience. Teaching of Psychology, 17, 57-58.
Madigan, R., & Brosamer, J. (1990). Improving the writing skills of students in
introductory psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 17, 27-30.
Mueller, S. C. (1985). Persons in the personality theory course: Student papers based on
biographies. Teaching of Psychology, 12, 74-78.
Nadelman, L. (1990). Learning to think and write as an empirical psychologist: The
laboratory course in developmental psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 17, 45-48.
Nodine, B. F. (1990). Assignments in psychology: Writing to learn. In T. Fulwiler & A.
Young (Eds.), Programs that work: Models and methods for writing across the curriculum
(pp. 146-148). Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook.
Norcross, J. C., Slotterback, C. S., & Krebs, P. M. (2001). Senior advice: Graduating
seniors write to psychology freshmen. Teaching of Psychology, 28, 27-29.
Poe, R. E. (1990). A strategy for improving literature reviews in psychology courses.
Teaching of Psychology, 17, 54-55.
Polyson, J. A. (1983). Student essays about TV characters: A tool for understanding
personality theories. Teaching of Psychology, 10, 103-105.
Polyson, J. A. (1985). Students’ peak experiences: A written exercise. Teaching of
Psychology, 12, 211-213.
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Price, D. W. W. (1990). A model for reading and writing about primary sources: The
case of introductory psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 17, 48-53.
Radmacher, S. A., & Latosi-Sawin, E. (1995). Summary writing: A tool to improve
student comprehension and writing in psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 22, 113-115.
Rickabaugh, C. A. (1993). The psychology portfolio: Promoting writing and critical
thinking about psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 20, 170-172.
Simonton, D. K. (1994). Scientific eminence, the history of psychology, and term paper
topics: A metascience approach. Teaching of Psychology, 21, 169-171.
Snodgrass, S. E. (1985). Writing as a tool for teaching social psychology. Teaching of
Psychology, 12, 91-94.
Spiegel, T. A., Cameron, S. M., Evans, R., & Nodine, B. F. (1980). Integrating writing
into the teaching of psychology: An alternative to Calhoun and Selby. Teaching of Psychology,
7, 242-243.
Sugar, J., & Livosky, M. (1988). Enriching child psychology courses with a preschool
journal option. Teaching of Psychology, 15, 93-95.
Terry, W. S. (1984). A “forgetting journal” for memory courses. Teaching of
Psychology, 11, 111-112.
Ventis, D. G. (1990). Writing to discuss: Use of a clustering technique. Teaching of
Psychology, 17, 42-44.
Wade, C. (1995). Using writing to develop and assess critical thinking. Teaching of
Psychology, 22, 24-28.
Ware, M. E., Badura, A. S., & Davis, S. F. (2002). Using student scholarship to develop
student research and writing skills. Teaching of Psychology, 29, 151-154.
Willingham, D. B. (1990). Effective feedback on written assignments. Teaching of
Psychology, 17, 10-13.